Love I & II
by jane0904
Summary: Following AFTERMATH, just a couple of litle vignettes with different members of the crew. There will be a third, but that has an M rating so will be uploaded separately. Thanks for reading, and reviews are shiny!
1. Chapter 1

It was late, but Simon wanted to check in on Bethany before he joined Kaylee in bed. He was still amazed at being a father, and after the events of the last weeks he found himself wanting to just make sure his daughter was okay every so often.

As he opened the door to her room, he realised, yet again, how odd it was that he had seriously considered leaving Serenity to take up Andrew's offer on Corvus, because he thought it was safer. Now he knew it was like Mal had always said … best to be always on the move. Still flying.

"Daddy." Bethany rolled over to look at him.

"Hey, sweetheart, you're supposed to be asleep," Simon said, going down on his knees next to the bed and looking into his daughter's beautiful eyes.

"Can't," she said sadly. "No Ethan."

"He's in with his own Daddy and Mommy," Simon explained, brushing her hair away from her face.

"Lonely."

Her father looked around the room and saw the baby doll Freya had bought for her just after Ethan was born. "Will this do?" he asked, picking it up.

She nodded and he tucked it next to her, smiling as she put her little arm around it. "Jayne," she said.

"I thought his name was Ethan?" Simon was slightly confused.

"No, daddy," Bethany laughed. "Jayne." She pointed to the huge toy Mal had won her.

"Well, sweetie, it's too big to be in bed with you, but how about we just leave him here?" He propped the stuffed animal at the foot of the bed.

"Rabbit," Bethany agreed.

"Whatever you say." He lifted the cover a little higher.

"Auntie Frey be okay?" his daughter asked.

He smiled. "I think Auntie Freya's going to be fine. Now, you get some sleep."

"'Kay, Daddy. Play tomorrow?"

"Yes, we'll play tomorrow."

She grinned, looking so like her mother, and put her head back down next to the doll, her breathing slowing almost immediately as she slipped quickly into sleep.

Simon watched her, amazed at his good fortune at having such a wonderful and beautiful daughter. Then he stood up to go find her wonderful and beautiful mother.

Kaylee was leaning over the chest of drawers, her backside looking ripe and firm in a very small pair of pink panties, and nothing else.

"You keep doing that and I'll ravish you right there," Simon said from the doorway.

"Gotta keep my husband interested in me somehow."

"There's no need to worry about that," he said, moving up close behind her and pressing his hips into hers.

"Not even when you're slumming it?"

He stopped. "I didn't say that."

"Isn't that what you think?" She turned to look at him.

"No." He gazed into her upturned face, seeing the little lines of stubbornness at the corners of her brown eyes. "I've never thought that."

"But if it wasn't for your sister, you'd be back in that hospital making lots of money, being eyed up by all the pretty nurses -"

"A lot of nurses are men," he pointed out, trying to lighten the mood a little.

"So? They were prob'ly lusting after you too. And you could be with them, going to those fancy parties, talking about stuff I don't even begin to understand …" She was working herself up, and two fat tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Kaylee, what brought this on?" he asked, knowing the answer.

"Well, you could."

"_Xin gan_, I don't want them. I want you." He pressed the tears away with his thumb, cupping her face.

"But I ain't elegant like them."

"No, you're not," he agreed, seeing her eyes widen in shocked surprise. "You're so much better."

"Wha … what?"

"I know it worries you. When Freya was projecting, I know it amplified all of our fears, worries, emotions … and believe me, I would never, _ever_, hit you."

"I know," she said in a small voice.

"But you don't believe it."

She moved away from him to sit on the bed, her arms crossed protectively over her breasts. "My aunt Carla, my Momma's sister, was married to a man who hit her." She spoke quietly. "Got drunk once in a while and just hit her. Always apologised next day, swore it'd never happen again. Used to cry 'cause he was so angry at himself. And everything'd be all right for a few weeks, then something'd happen and he'd take a drink and it'd start all over again. 'N' she always forgave him."

"What happened?"

She looked up at him. "In the end he broke her jaw so bad she had to go to the hospital. My Pa and some of the other menfolk of the family went and … well, they gave him a taste."

"That wasn't the answer."

"Nope, don't suppose it was. 'N' Aunt Carla was mighty angry with 'em for doing it."

"It's a disease, Kaylee. He could have got help."

"'N' admit there was something wrong?" She shook her head. "Not the way things're done in the real world, Simon."

"Did she leave him."

"No. Soon as they were outta the hospital they left. Took a transport off Phoros and just disappeared. I think Ma got a letter or two, but …" She shrugged. "I still don't understand why she went with him."

Simon sat down next to her. "_Meili_, I've never understood it myself. But some women seem to be able to ignore it until it happens again. And they just carry on forgiving."

"It's wrong."

"Yes. Oh, honey, yes."

"She should've left him, something. Not just stayed."

"And you think I might be like that? That I'll take it into my head to hit you?"

"You were going to." She was trembling as if she was cold.

"Do you really think Zoe wanted to hurt Hank?"

She looked sharply at him. "Of course not."

"Kalee, if I ever hit you, I'd be the one Mal put out of the airlock. No arguments, nor forgiveness, Just … whoosh." He mimed a body being sucked into space. "And I'd walk in quite readily." He put his arm carefully around her. "I will never hit you. Not because of Mal, or Freya, or Zoe … but because I'm not that man. I'm not your aunt's husband."

"'N' if you do can I hit you upside the head with a wrench?" he asked, leaning into him.

"You have my permission to knock my brains all over the engine room."

"Wouldn't do that," Kaylee said. "Be a hell of a job to get the bits outta the compression coil. Be easier in the kitchen."

He smiled. "Fine. Kitchen it is."

She snuggled closer. "Still think you'd be better off with one of those rich girls River said you went out with."

"So if I hadn't come out here, you think I'd be happier?"

"Maybe."

"Well, let's see." He lifted his free hand, using his fingers to count. "There was Marianne, who was a nurse I went out with exactly once. By the end of the evening she'd got our whole lives planned, down to the names of our children." He felt Kaylee giggle, and, encouraged, went on. "Then there was Mei. She was the sister of a patient of mine. We actually had three dates until she dumped me. Said I talked about nothing but the hospital."

"Did you?"

"Probably. I was very boring in those days. I'm much better company now I can talk about crime."

"Who else?" She nudged him. "Who else did the great Dr Tam go out with?"

He sighed. "Honestly, not that many. And none of them compared in any way favourably to you."

"What about Sylvie?"

"Sophie," Simon corrected without thinking.

"Sophie, then." She pouted. "You were going to ask her to marry you."

"Yes, I was." Inwardly Simon cursed his sister and her predilection for letting out his secrets. "And you said yes to Drayton Buchanan."

"Point taken." Kaylee slid her arm around his waist.

"Good." He peered down into her eyes. "Because the point actually is that I love you. I love the grease under your fingernails, the metal shavings in your hair. I love the way you wake up all happy in the morning, and the way you make me feel when we're making love at night. I love the way your eyes wrinkle up when you laugh, and the way your lips make me want to kiss them all the time. I love the sunshine of your smile and … basically, what I'm saying in my very heavy-handed way is, I love you."

"Mr Top Three Percent," Kaylee sighed happily.

"So are we okay?"

"Okay." She leaned over and kissed him.

"Oh, and I love the way you taste of strawberries even when you haven't had any for months."

She licked her lips. "Strawberries," she murmured.

"I'll buy you some, next place has any. I've still got some ideas on things to do with them."

"Really?" Her eyes were shiny.

"Mmn. I was thinking -"

There was a knock at the door.

Instantly Kaylee let go of her husband. "Do you think there's a problem?" she asked.

"Only one way to find out." He got up and opened the door. "Mal? Are you all right?"

"That Counsellor? You find one?"

"Mal, do you know what time it is?"

"Not asking you for the time. Just if you've found a good man."

"Good woman. Dr Yi. Mal, why're you naked?"

Kaylee pricked up her ears.

"Where's this doc live?"

"That's slightly more tricky. Ariel."

"Afraid they might come after you for planning the raid on St Lucy's?" Mal sounded like he was having a good time, and Kaylee tried to see around her husband.

"No, of course not."

"Fine. Make the arrangements."

"Mal, couldn't this have waited until the morning?"

"Nope. Strike while the iron is hot, as my Momma used to say."

"Yes. Sure. Fine." He shook his head, closing the door quickly.

"Cap'n was naked?"

"As the day he was born." Simon looked at her. "I thought you'd seen him naked before?"

She waved a hand airily. "Long time ago. Maybe he's changed."

"A few more scars, perhaps. Why, do you want me to ask him to come back so you can check?"

"No, that's fine. It can wait." She grinned.

"Why, you little …" He advanced on his wife. "You deserve a spanking."

"You said you'd never hit me," she pointed out, sticking her chin into the air.

"Spanking isn't hitting."

"Not the way you do it, neither," Kaylee agreed, squirming slightly. "Always ends up doing something else anyway." She smiled again. "So Freya's gonna see a Counsellor?"

"Seems like it." Simon sat back down. "I think it's a good idea. And Dr Yi is excellent."

"You know her?"

"By reputation."

"But Ariel … it's a Core planet."

"That it is. But …" He considered. "Maybe I can persuade Mal to let me take you out. Show you some of the things you think I'm still yearning for."

"I know you ain't." She put her chin on his shoulder. "'N' I'm sorry for ever insinuatin' you were."

"And I'm sorry for saying all you ever thought about was babies."

"Yeah, but that's almost true." She sighed. "Still, I'd like to know why I ain't -"

"I know," he interrupted gently.

She sat up. "You do?"

"I was going to wait until tomorrow to tell you."

"You found out?"

"It took less time to analyse the results than I thought, since I had an idea - I'm sorry, Kaylee. I could have done it sooner."

"That makes no never mind. Just …" She took a deep breath. "We gonna have any more kids?"

He looked into her hazel eyes, almost pleading as they were for the right answer. "We will. Not for a while, but …"

"So what is it?" She took his hand.

"It's an infection. From its pathology it's something I probably picked up from one of the Reaver victims on Corvus." He felt her hand grip tighter.

"Is it … can it be passed on?"

"Do you mean has it affected the rest of the crew?" When she nodded he went on, "No, they're fine. I ran their samples too. Even Bethany and Ethan. It's just me."

"Oh, Simon."

"I'll need to start a course of regenerative therapy, keep an eye on … At least I'll be on a good planet to use decent medical facilities since we're heading for Ariel."

She hit him lightly. "Don't joke."

"We can, Kaylee. It's not permanent, just … inconvenient."

"And it ain't gonna … I mean you're gonna be fine? No … you ain't …"

"I'm not going to die, Kaylee."

She relaxed a little. "How long?"

"The therapy takes three months. Then … it'll probably be a year. Maybe more."

"A year?" She almost squeaked. "We don't get to have sex for a year?"

"I'm not infectious, Kaylee," Simon said, trying not to laugh. "That passed a long time ago. This is just the after effects. We can have sex whenever we want."

"But no babies yet?"

"Not yet."

Kaylee glanced towards the door. "Good job we got Bethie then, ain't it?"

"Good job," her husband agreed.

"Is it … is it gonna be painful? This therapy?"

"It … won't be pleasant. At least not at first."

"How not?"

"Some sickness. Cramps. Headaches -"

"No."

"What?" He looked at her.

"No. You ain't gonna do it." The stubborn look was back on her face. "I ain't putting you through that just so I can fulfil some biological urge."

"Kaylee -"

"I said no." She pulled his hand into her lap. "I ain't making you sick."

"Well, that's something of a pity. Because I took the first injection before I came to bed."

"You did what?" Now she was angry at him. "Without speaking to me first?"

"I thought you -"

"Not if it makes you sick!"

"Kaylee, _bao-bei_, I can cope with that. Relieve the symptoms. I'll be fine. And I know how much you want another baby."

"Oh, Simon." She pulled her to him, locking her arms around him. He held her close, feeling her soft skin under his hands. "When does it … the …"

"Throwing up?" He smiled as she winced. "Probably not until tomorrow."

"Oh."

"Why? And what are you doing?"

One of her hands was heading south. "Just thinking we'd better get some practice in before you don't feel like it."

He rolled her onto her back, laying between her thighs and looking into her face. "My _wu jia zhi bao_, I _always_ feel like it." He ran his fingers up her leg and under her pink panties, gratified to see her eyes widen.

"Gonna hold you to that," she murmured. "Gonna definitely …. Oh."


	2. Chapter 2

Wash flicked the switch for the autopilot, stood up and stretched. It had been a long day, and he was ready for his bed. Taking one last look at Serenity's dials and screens, making sure there was nothing needing his urgent attention, he turned and headed towards the galley. Just one more cup of coffee, he promised as he passed the entrance to his bunk, knowing Zoe was already in bed.

The pot was still warm, at least enough for him, and he poured himself a mug, savouring the aroma before taking a mouthful. Funny how it always smelled better than it tasted, he considered, at least when it was this fake coffee stuff. Now, the real thing, that was liquid gold on the tongue as well as in the nose. He grinned. Not that he liked his coffee up his nose. Seemed such a waste. Course, there was that time on Beylix …

He ambled back along the corridor, carrying the cup, glancing at the different doors as he went along. They were a good crew, from little Kaylee to the doc, from his crazy sister to … well, even Jayne. Good people.

At the hatch to his bunk he paused a moment, taking a deep breath, smelling the aroma of the Firefly. No other ship had quite the same fragrance, something uniquely hers. Old metal, hot engine, a touch of Jasmine probably wafting from Inara's shuttle, the scent of gun oil coming up from Jayne's room … it all blended into a perfume he'd recognise anywhere. He grinned. Always did love that smell.

Pushing the hatch open he climbed down the ladder. "Honey, I'm home," he called. He stepped further inside the room. "_Dung ee miao_."

Zoe wasn't alone. Another man lay under the covers next to her, on his side, his arm laid casually over her, his brown hair mussed and sticking every which way.

"Oh yeah," Wash said quietly. "That's right. I'm dead."

He looked down to his chest and picked a sliver of wood off the front of his flightsuit.

"Funny how you forget sometimes," he added, sniffing deeply of the cup of coffee in his hand before throwing the contents down his throat. "Ah, better," he said, putting the mug on the table and watching it disappear.

He turned back to the couple in the bed.

"So, how's things going?" he asked, sitting down on the end. "Mal didn't really get a chance to tell me. Read any good books lately? Seen any good vids? How about killed anyone interesting?"

He waited for an answer, but no-one seemed inclined to speak.

Hank rolled onto his back, and Wash peered at the deep scratches decorating his chest.

"Oh, that looks painful," he said. "She do that?"

Hank murmured something in his sleep, sounded like _raise you four_, but could have been instructions to _praise the poor_ for all he was mumbling.

"You couldn't find someone who could talk properly?" Wash asked, looking across at his wife. "Although maybe it's not his sparkling wit you want him for. And it surely ain't his good looks." He looked at the man lying next to Zoe. "I seriously thought you had better taste than this, pumpkin." He sighed. "Still, I guess out here you haven't exactly got that much of a choice. At least it ain't Jayne."

"Kill the drag'n," Hank muttered.

Wash nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! And I guess it all worked out. Mal fighting the dragon. Still think it would have been better if it had been a T Rex, but it wasn't my nightmare. I already kinda had my nightmare. Pretty much came true, too. Something I was afraid of for a long time."

He pushed a hand through his blond hair before looking back at Zoe, an odd, wistful look on his face.

"Losing you."

He went to touch her, but pulled back at the last moment. "Never thought it would be me, though. Always figured it'd be Mal coming back from a job one day and telling me you didn't make it. Never realised it could be me that didn't."

All the old daydreams surfaced for a moment, and he shivered before pushing them back down.

"So, did he tell you I helped him?" he asked, trying for a touch of levity. "Gave him the benefit of my worldly experience, and a big stick to poke the dragon with." He laughed. "He wouldn't have made it if I hadn't. Watching him head off on that horse, going to save the fair lady …" He grinned. "I'd'a done that, honey bun, if you'd ever needed it. Like you came to get me that day outta Niska's skyplex. Hell, I'd'a died for you. Guess in a way I did. For all of you."

Zoe turned her head, her hair spread out on the pillow, a sea of black waves.

"I told him to give you my love. Mal, I mean. 'Cause there he was, standing there, bold as brass and twice as pretty, and there's me, telling him to give you my love."

She licked her lips, her tongue darting out to rake across her skin.

"He didn't tell you, did he?" Wash said, shaking his head. "That I'd been his squire. Nope, figured as much." He sighed. "Maybe he thought it would upset you. Knowing your husband had sent his love. Especially since you appear to be shacked up with another man."

"Zo," Hank muttered.

"You know I heard about him? Yeah. It's a small 'verse, all us flyboys together. Heard he was okay as a pilot. Not as good as me, but … well, that'd be hard, wouldn't it? But he's okay."

Hank mumbled again. "… get some real manoeuvrability out of this boat …"

"He always this talkative in bed?" Wash smiled. "Still, I seem to recall you not exactly being the quiet type. Remember when Mal made us change rooms with him 'cause Kaylee was complaining too much? Reckon now we'd be complaining about her and the doc. And little Bethany. Not complaining about her, a'course. Just that I still can't get my head around the fact that they've got kids at all. And she is so cute, such a gorgeous little dumpling."

"… get them back out …"

"And Mal with a kid. A son at that. A changed man …" Wash shook his head, watching Hank as he rubbed his nose with his hand then threw it above him.

"I guess he's not so bad, sweet cheeks. He loves you, and that's not nothing. But you've sorta hurried into this, haven't you? I mean, there's me dead for less than a decade and you're … you're …"

Realisation dawned. "Oh."

He sat back, somewhat shell-shocked. "Well, that kinda … just don't call him Hoban, whatever you do." Shaking his head he felt a smile begin. "My own fault. Shoulda done something about that years ago. Sorry, Zo. And congratulations."

He leaned over and put a kiss on her forehead. She wrinkled her nose and shifted slightly in bed. Hank put his arm back across her in response.

"Well, that sorta changes things, cupcake. Means I won't be coming back no more. You don't need me to." Wash smiled sadly. "You've moved on. And that's good," he added quickly. "My lambie-toes is a big girl now."

He looked at Hank. "But what I said to the Cap still goes. You don't treat her right, and I'll come back and haunt you. And it'll be a lot worse than sheets with holes and rattling chains. A whole lot worse - I picked up some ideas on the other side, you know. It'll be gruesome." He paused. "Not quite sure how, yet, but just give me time."

He stood up, taking a last long look around the bunk. "Good thing you didn't get rid of my dinosaurs, though," he said, grinning at last. "Kids love to play with things like that."

He glanced at the Hawaiian shirt he now wore over his suit. "Hey, my favourite," he said, patting his chest happily. "Maybe I'll grow the moustache back, too." The grin dimmed a little. "Maybe not. But you know, if anyone needs me, all they have to do is whistle. You know how to do that, don't you?" He laughed. "Think I've been watching too many old movies."

He gazed down at his wife again, the sweet smile on her full lips, the swell of her breasts above the sheet.

"Bye, Zoe. I'll always love you. And I will always, _always_ miss you. My autumn flower. My beautiful wife, who could've killed me with her …" His voice faded into nothing.

"Bye, Wash," River said quietly, sitting in her bunk, tears on her cheeks. "_I'll_ miss you too."


End file.
